Reflex (Reflex - Dick Francis)

Member Name: caro

Product:	Reflex - Dick Francis
Date:	16/07/00 (153 review reads)
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This novel has a fast-moving, interesting plot which successfully combines a number of themes. The protaganist is a jockey facing the end of his career, with the possibility of a new one in photography just starting to open before him. Drawn into investigating the burglary of a recently deceased racing photographer (and fellow jockey's father), he deals with not only photographic puzzles but also moral dilemmas, as well as revisiting his childhood and being forced to re-evaluate his family history.

This may sound a bit heavy, but in fact the novel is a well-paced, enjoyable read. The puzzles are satisfying, while the protaganist's non-traditional family background is handled with a fairly light touch. The moral debates around using bad means (blackmail) for good ends are neither side-stepped nor subjected to the kind of heavy internal monologue beloved of some crime writers. The mystery is absorbing enough to keep you turning the pages and the ending comes as a real surprise. The various threads are resolved without it all being too neat and contrived.

Reflex is not great literature or deep philosophical examination. This is not a criticism: the book has no such pretensions. However, the more serious themes are presented and given due weight, adding substance to a fast-moving crime novel. Altogether, worth a read, especially for Dick Francis fans.

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